The Barrio Húmedo and the Plaza de San Martín

The Barrio Húmedo is the streets of León's old town between the Plaza de San Martín, the Plaza Mayor and Calle Cervantes, full of bars for generations. It is not a monument with opening hours or tickets: it is a district you walk, from bar to bar, and the most León way of getting to know the city between visits.

What it is and why it is called that

Turismo de Castilla y León presents it as one of the city's main gastronomic areas, known for its tapas, which locals and visitors alike go to. Its emblem is the Plaza de San Martín, which was the centre of León's Jewish quarter, present in this area from the 13th to the 15th century, and which is associated with the medieval guilds that worked there. The streets of Mulhacín and La Misericordia are part of the district, and at their crossing a route through the old Jewish quarter begins. There are several popular explanations for the name "Húmedo" (wet), almost all to do with wine, and none confirmed: take it as part of the district's legend.

How tapas hopping works

In many bars the wine or the caña arrives with a tapa you did not ask for: black pudding, cecina, potatoes or croquettes, depending on the house. The usual thing is to have a drink standing at one place and move on to the next, with no fixed plan. There is no common menu or published prices for the district: each bar has its own, and the tapa that comes with the drink also changes from one to another. If you want to eat seated after the tapas, Casa Mando, at the side of the Barceló Conde Luna, is right next to the district.

When to go

The best time is midday, before lunch, especially on Sunday, and Thursday to Saturday nights, when the streets fill up. On weekdays and mid-afternoon it is much quieter, and some bars open late or close one day of the week; if you are looking for a particular one, check with it. Allow a couple of hours if you want to try several bars without hurrying.

Getting there and what to combine

The Plaza de San Martín is a few minutes' walk from the cathedral, going south through the old town, and the Plaza Mayor is right next to the district. It fits well at the end of the morning, after the cathedral, or at dusk, after seeing the Casa Botines and the Guzmanes palace. You do not need a car in the old town: park outside the centre and walk in.

With a dog you can walk the streets with no problem, on a lead; inside each bar, ask. With small children it works better at midday than at night, when there are more people and more noise. At the León Tourist Office, on the Plaza de Regla, they give you a map of the old town on which you can see the whole district.